You don’t need anyone to tell you that our world constantly changes. While we can stubbornly stay in our comfort zone and resist the never-ending shifts, our ability to welcome, embrace, and adapt to them allows us to survive and thrive.
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These symbols of change can help make opening our doors to transitions and transformations easier.
Change can be difficult, but it can also be incredibly transformative and empowering. Whether you’re facing a major life transition, a difficult challenge, or simply looking for some inspiration and guidance, symbols can be powerful tools to help you navigate change and embrace new beginnings.
Key takeaways
- Change helps us gain confidence. We will only know what we can do once we are put to the test. The lotus flower inspires us to rise above our challenges with charm and elegance.
- Change makes us more flexible. While transition periods can be overwhelming and scary, the sacral
chakra teaches us to be more accepting of the change. - Change teaches us to be more compassionate. The change icon enables us to see things from a different perspective by inciting us to step out of our comfort zone, making us more understanding of the plight of others.
Butterfly
From a caterpillar that creeps to a pupa lying dormant in its chrysalis, a butterfly undergoes a series of changes before emerging as a creature of beauty. The butterfly symbolizes a person’s ability to transform and rejuvenate their life. Its winged shape is highly informative, conveying the message of hope, metamorphosis, and freedom.
The butterfly symbolizes new beginnings and growth, inspiring us to transform into better versions of ourselves.
Snakes
Depicted as terrible, deadly monsters, snakes have long held divisive and contrasting symbols in culture and religion. Snakes periodically shed their skin throughout their lives. These typically docile and even-tempered creatures symbolically represent rebirth, transformation, and eternal renewal.
Chameleon
The chameleon can incredibly modify its color according to its environment. It is considered one of the most significant symbols of change. It indicates our capacity to express ourselves creatively and be comfortable even during complex changes.
Lotus flower
The lotus flower grows even in the most dismal conditions, symbolizing beauty and resilience. The Lotus‘ ability to gracefully emerge from murky water represents our capacity to change from destruction into more loving and attractive individuals.
Phoenix
The phoenix ignites itself into a ball of fire before resurrecting and rising from its ashes every 500 years. This mythical creature stirs us to embrace change, encouraging us to embark on a new path and celebrate periods of renewal and transformation.
Greek god Janus
Janus, popularly illustrated as a two-faced god, is revered by the Greeks for his ability to verify the past with one face and peek into the future with the other. Known as the God of Change, January was named after him because the month signifies a time of transition and new beginnings.
The Celtic Dara knot
The Celtic Dara knot symbolizes courage, endurance, and inner strength. These traits allow us to adapt to changes in our environment and keep moving forward.
Easter lily flower
Blooming its prettiest in spring, which coincides with Easter, it’s easy to see why this flower is associated with the revered Christian celebration. It starts as an unsightly bulb before blooming into an elegant and fragrant flower. Many see it to signify Jesus’ brutal death and eventual resurrection.
Dharmachakra
The Dharmachakra is considered the most sacred symbol in Buddhism. Also known as the Wheel of Dharma, it describes the spiritual changes one must go through to attain enlightenment.
Sacral chakra
The sacral
Sanskrit symbol for nirvana
A Sanskrit word that denotes a state of tranquility and spiritual freedom, nirvana is a feeling one experiences upon reaching a point of detachment from worldly pleasures. It represents our long journey of self-restraint towards a life of enlightenment and non-existence.
Mmere Dane
Created by the Akan people of West Africa, the Mmere Dane symbol reminds us that all things are temporary and that life is susceptible to constant changes. Utilized for its decorative function, it inspires those less fortunate to persevere in igniting change and tells the affluent that the good fortune they experience is not permanent.
Delta
The delta, believed to have been derived from a Phoenician letter, is the fourth letter of the Greek alphabet that is also often used to represent change or difference in mathematics. Expressed in both upper and lower case, it teaches us how transformation helps keep us in a healthy perspective.
Rain
Native Americans see rain as an agent of change that spurs spiritual cleansing and reformation. Often thriving in dry areas where drought frequently occurs, they perform elaborate rain dances to sway the weather pattern in their favor. This illustrates our transformation to renounce earthly pleasures and embrace spiritual progress.
Turning wheels
Representing the four phases of life, namely infancy, childhood, adolescence, and adulthood, the image of a turning wheel signifies the constant changes in our morals, values, and appearance. As the wheel continuously turns, it reminds us that everything is transient and inspires us to look ahead to where we might find ourselves next.
Egg
Apart from standing as a fragile yet protective shell of early avian life, eggs are potent symbols of fertility and resurrection. However, its miraculous ability to develop an embryo into a remarkable flying creature led our ancestors to view them as symbols of change and transformation.
Track switch
The track switch is the mechanism involved in changing a train’s route. It guides the line of coaches from one track to another. Also known as a turnout or a crossover, it reminds us how a change in mindset and attitude often results in gaining a better sense of control and direction in life.
Snowflakes
No two snowflakes are the same. Many consider them symbols of distinctness, dissimilarity, and change. A famous icon during winter and Christmas, its natural ability to transform into water when it melts makes it an ideal symbol for fresh starts.
David Bowie
Regarded as one of the most influential figures in the music industry, David Bowie was an enigmatic singer-songwriter who went through several changes in his identity. Creating obscure personas such as Ziggy Stardust, Aladdin Sane, Thin White Duke, and Halloween Jack, his 54-year career was marked by constant change and reinvention, with each character representing the different stages in his life.
Change icon
Represented by two parallel arrows pointing towards the other’s end, the change icon grabs a spot on our list of symbols of change and transition. Its ability to remind us that life is a cycle that goes through a series of changes makes it an icon and an inspiration.
Up arrow
The upward arrow is an optimistic symbol that suggests growth and progress. As the arrow points upwards, it represents the idea of rising out of one’s current circumstances towards a better and more informative future. It encourages us to keep moving forward and make positive changes in our lives.
Traffic lights
The traffic light is a symbol of temporal change. As the colors switch between red, yellow, and green, they signify stop, caution, and go. It reminds us that our lives are constantly changing, and we should be prepared to make adjustments as they come. The traffic light also warns us to be mindful of the consequences of our actions, as informed decisions can make or break future outcomes.
Calathea
Calathea is a tropical plant grown for its ornamental foliage. Its leaves close up in the evening and open again during the day, serving as a reminder that change is inevitable and our lives are in constant flux. The Calathea also teaches us to embrace transformation and opens up our minds to the possibility of starting anew.
